Ammunition lubrication



pairs sraras rarer THEODORE H. EICKI-IOFF AND CHARLES A. TUNKS, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNORS, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS. TO AUTO-ORDNANCE CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., 'A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AMMUNITION LUBRICATION.

No Drawing.

lubrication of the exterior of metallic cartridges for the purpose of facilitating the extraction or ejection of the cartridge cases after firing. i

The methods heretofore proposed for lubricating cartridges are divisible into three general classes, viz: first, applying to the cartridges at the time of manufacture a coating of solid. or semi-solid lubricating material, such as grease; secondly, applying to the cartridges at the place of use but prior to insertion into the firearms a coat ing of liquid or semi-solid lubricating material, such as oil or grease, the .material being applied by dipping or brushing; and, thirdly, applying the lubricant to the cartridges by means on the firearms arranged to feed lubricant to the cartridges or to the firing chambers before or at the time the cartridges are fed to the firing chambers. The present invention pertains to the first of these three classes.

\Vith the methods heretofore available the lubrication of cartridges at the time of manufacture, 'or at any time prior to firing the cartridges, has been objectionable for several reasons among which may be mentioned the following. The lubricants used for the purpose have been more or less adsolid at normal temperatures, cartridges Specification of Letters Patent.

have been coated by melting the lubricant, dipping the cartridges into the hot mass of lubricant, then withdrawing the cartridges from the lubricant and permitting the layer of lubricant adhering to the cartridge to freeze. The lubricants applied in this way have been more or less sticky even when solid and in hot weather or in contact with Warm hands the lubricants have become excessively sticky and gummy. Moreover this method of coating has resulted in unduly thick coatings of lubricant which has multiplied the troubles incident thereto.

The objects of the present invention are to overcome the aforesaid difficulties, to produce. lubricated cartridges which are not sticky which will not foul a firearm, which may be readily and uniformly-extracted or Patented J an. 6, 1920.

Application filed April 13, 1918. Serial No. 228,496.

ejected, and which will make it possible to and to control the thickness of the deposit more readily and accurately.

Our improved lubricating composition comprises a lubricating wax dissolved in a solvent. There are several mineral waxes, such as ozocerite, cerisin and paraffin, which may be utilized according to the present invention with good results, but superior results are attained by the use of certain vegetable Waxes such as Japan wax. The solvent preferably comprises a liquid hydrocarbon, such as gasolene, benzol, benzine, or carbon disulfid, and the best results are obtained with benzol. especially when using Japan wax as the lubricant.

Our improved method of applying the lubricant to cartridges, projectiles or other ammunition comprises coating the ammunition with the solution 'and evaporating or otherwise removing the solvent so as to leave a film of the wax on the ammunition. When the lubricant is applied in this manner the composition need not be heated as heretofore but may be applied at normal temperatures. However, the density of the solution may be increased by raising the saturation point and we propose to control till the thickness of the film of lubricant by regulating the temperature of the solution. The solution may be applied by dipping, spraying, brushing, etc., but it is preferably applied in the first-named manner.

The invention also comprises applying a plurality of coats of lubricant to the ammunition, the outer coating or coatings preferably being of such nature as to protect the inner coating or coatings. For example, we propose first to cover the ammunition with one or more coatings of Japan wax and then to cover the Japan wax with one or more coatings of parafiin wax. The Japan wax is a better lubricant than paraf fin wax and the paraffin wax is less adhesive. Thus by employing a plurality of coatings in this manner maximum lubricatlon and minimum adhesiveness may be obtained.

By increasing the proportion of solvent in our composition the lubricant may be applied as thinly as desired, even to the extent of being practically imperceptible. A very thin film is desirable for the reason that it does not afiord opportunity for grit to become embedded therein and a film so thin as to be practically imperceptible is adequate for most purposes. Moreover, a much harder and less adhesive coating of lubricant may be produced by our improved method than by freezing inasmuch as the lubricant need not be melted to be applied and may be of any desired hardness at atmospheric temperatures. The lubricant solution may be either a true solution or a colloidal solution, solid particles of lubri cant being held in suspension in the colloidal solution.

We claim:

1. Lubricated ammunition comprising a thin coating of lubricating wax which is substantially non-adhesive at atmospheric temperatures.

2. Lubricated ammunition comprising a thin coating of solid lubricating wax.

3. Lubricated ammunition comprising a thin coating or Japan wax.

4. Ammunition lubrication comprising a lubricant dissolved in a solvent.

5. Ammunition lubrication comprising a solid lubricant dissolved in a solvent.

6. Ammunition lubrication comprising a lubricant dissolved in a hydrocarbon.

7. Ammunition lubrication comprising a lubricant dissolved in benzol.

8. Ammunitionlubrication comprising a lubricating wax dissolved in a solvent.

9. Ammunition lubrication comprising a lubricating wax dissolved in a hydrocarbon.

10. Ammunition lubrication comprising a lubricating wax dissolved in benzol.

menace 11. Ammunition lubrication comprising Japan wax dissolved in a solvent.

12. Ammunition lubrication comprising Japan wax dissolved in a hydrocarbon.

13. Ammunition lubrication comprising Japan wax dissolved in benzol.

14. Lubricated ammunition comprising a coating of lubricant, and a protective coating over the coating. of lubricant, the protective coating being substantially non-adhesive at atmospheric temperatures.

15. Lubricated ammunition comprising a coating of lubricant, and a coating over the coating of lubricant, th second coating being less adhesive than the first coating.

16. Lubricated ammunition comprising a coating of lubricant, and a second coating of lubricant, the second coating being substantially nonadhesive at atmospheric temperatures.

17. Lubricated ammunition comprising a film of solid lubricant over the exterior of the ammunition, and a protective film over the first film.

18. Lubricated ammunition. comprising a nun of solid lubricant over the exterior of the ammunition, and a second film oi? solid material over th first film, the second film being substantially non-adhesive at atmospheric temperatures.

1.9. Lubricated ammunition comprising a film of solid lubricant over the exterior oi the ammunition, and a second film of solid lubricant over the first film, the second film being less adhesive when solid than the first film.

20. Lubricated ammunition comprising a film of lubricating wax over the exterior of the ammunition, and a protective film over the wax.

21. Lubricated ammunition comprising a film of lubricating wax over the exterior or the ammunition, and a second film of wax over the first film. the second film being less adhesive than the first film.

22. Lubricated ammunition comprising a film of Japan wax over the exterior of the ammunition, and a protective film over the wax.

23. Lubricated ammunition comprising a film of Japan wax over the exterior of the ammunition and a film of wax of less adhesiveness over the first film.

2 1-. Lubricated ammunition comprising a film of Japan wax over the exterior of the ammunition and a film of parafiin wax over the first film.

Signed by us at Cleveland, Ohio, this 9th day of April, 1918. I

THEODORE H. EICKHOFF. CHARLES A. TUNRS. 

